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I have emotions, but no language. Kindly read this letter not as an ordinary letter. What I would like to do here is only to convey my feelings to you." (25-3-1999)
Shri Vasudeo Smart certainly ranks very high in the galaxy of artists of Gujarat and also of the whole of India. His devotion to and love for art and its values, his deep preoccupation with the esthetics of Indian art, his tireless travelling in the persuit of excellences of Indian art and his care-free and happy-go-lucky nature that facilitated such a persuit and his unflinching faith in Gandhian values and ways of life were some of the qualities that invested the artist with an unostentatiously unique personality and helped him to develop a characterisic style of his own as an artist. He was a zealous student of Indian art and all its beauties and niceties as if came to life with every stroke of his brush. In all that he did, he tried to protect and preserve its rich legacies and make it known to the outside world. One of the chief contributious of Shri Vasudeo Smart lay in the field of the art and architecture of Jain temples of South Gujarat. These temples are rich treasure houses of ancient art. He made beautiful copies and drawings of the pat paintings and wood carvings found in these temples. A part of his valuable work goes into the making of this art book which is perhaps the first of its kind. Some of the rare pieces of art he has documented with great care and love are in a highly damaged condition and will soon be lost to the future generations. The monograph will be of great value to all those who are students of or interested in the art and culture of this region.
Let us all rejoice at and welcome the publication of this great work of a highly dedicated artist.
Vikram Samvat, 2058, Kartik Sud Ist
New Year Day, Surat.
- Shilchandra Vijay
LO
GGG
4 : Jain Kashthapat Chitra
Jain Education Intemational
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